Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Wanaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Wanaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,724 in Wanaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Dunedin versus $2,700 in Wanaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,595 in Dunedin versus $3,676 in Wanaka.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 9% more expensive than in Wanaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 37% above, Wanaka 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 NZ$25.04

$14.72 NZ$25.74

-2.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$110

$56.9 NZ$99.5

11.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 NZ$19.88

$8.90 NZ$15.55

27.75%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$6.12

$3.22 NZ$5.63

8.70%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$1.74 NZ$3.05

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$1.98 NZ$3.46

6.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 NZ$12.42

$7.05 NZ$12.33

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 NZ$10.95

$6.30 NZ$11.01

-0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$2.21 NZ$3.87

-3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NZ$3.60

$2.00 NZ$3.50

3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.05

$1.82 NZ$3.19

-4.40%

Eggs

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$6.09 NZ$10.64

-4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 NZ$15.33

$8.67 NZ$15.15

1.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$17.13

$9.45 NZ$16.51

3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 NZ$29.13

$16.98 NZ$29.69

-1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.14

$3.08 NZ$5.38

-4.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.24

$2.18 NZ$3.81

11.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.64

$3.33 NZ$5.82

-3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$9.06

$5.32 NZ$9.30

-2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.20

$1.88 NZ$3.29

-2.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 NZ$4.24

$2.35 NZ$4.10

2.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NZ$1.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.71 NZ$37.96

$23.37 NZ$40.85

-7.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 NZ$16.18

$9.15 NZ$15.99

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.55

$3.17 NZ$5.54

0.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.15

$1.26 NZ$2.21

-2.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 NZ$123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 NZ$10.11

$5.74 NZ$10.03

0.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 NZ$51.0

$28.31 NZ$49.50

2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$1.75 NZ$3.05

-1.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

$25.7K NZ$44.9K

1.43%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$25.6K NZ$44.8K

0.32%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$113 NZ$197

$113 NZ$198

-0.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.94 NZ$50.6

$29.86 NZ$52.2

-3.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$92.4

$53.5 NZ$93.6

-1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NZ$86.8

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NZ$18.40

$10.43 NZ$18.23

0.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$610 NZ$1,066

$597 NZ$1,044

2.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 NZ$106

$60.8 NZ$106

-0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NZ$63.3

$35.83 NZ$62.6

1.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$166

$68.6 NZ$120

38.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$246

$74.3 NZ$130

89.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 NZ$1,560

$1,014 NZ$1,772

-11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 NZ$1,328

$825 NZ$1,443

-7.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$1,940 NZ$3,391

-22.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,091

$1,669 NZ$2,917

-28.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,853 NZ$10.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,242 NZ$3,919

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

$4,369 NZ$7,638

-40.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

76.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Wanaka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $893 in Dunedin and $1,014 in Wanaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wanaka pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Dunedin vs $57.0 in Wanaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $329, with Dunedin cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Dunedin vs Wanaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Wanaka differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,872 vs $1,724 including rent). Wanaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Wanaka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $893 in Dunedin versus $1,014 in Wanaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dunedin pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,872 per month in Dunedin versus $1,724 in Wanaka – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,724 in Wanaka versus $1,872 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wanaka but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Wanaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dunedin and Wanaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Wanaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.